The New Zealand Open Charitable Trust’s Journey to the Open series wrapped up in style at Millbrook Resort on Sunday, with Cromwell Golf Club’s Cayden Ede claiming the ultimate prize — a place in the New Zealand Open pro-am, where he will tee it up alongside a professional at the 2026 tournament.
Played over 18 holes on the Remarkables Course at Millbrook Resort, the finale brought together a talented group of young golfers from across the region, with tight scoring throughout the field.
While the weather wasn’t as severe as forecast, conditions became increasingly challenging as the wind strengthened through the afternoon, creating a tough test and keeping the leaderboard close right to the finish.
New Zealand Open Charitable Trust Chair Brian Cadzow praised the standard of golf on display across the day. “The players were outstanding — the quality and composure they showed in tricky conditions was incredibly impressive,” Cadzow said.
“It was a great finish to the Journey to the Open and a reminder of the talent coming through our local clubs.”
The competition ended with Futures Wakatipu’s Toby Gallie topping the points scoring with 33, ahead of Millbrook’s Yoonae Jeong (31) and Cayden Ede (29), with Archie Duncan, Riley Gill and Jackson Hughes all in the mix on 29 or 28 points.
With the chance of a lifetime on the line, the top 3 (after countback) played off in nearest-the-pin playoff on the 18th hole. As the highest points scorer, Gallie had the choice of order and elected to hit first, leaving his shot just short of the green.
Yoonae, the only female in the field and playing from the yellow tees, stepped up next and found the putting surface, finishing around 20 feet from the hole.
That left Cayden with the final shot — and he delivered under pressure, landing his ball to approximately 10 feet to clinch the tournament trophy and the coveted pro-am spot.
Cadzow said the event highlighted the importance of connecting the New Zealand Open with aspiring young golfers in the local community. “It’s fantastic to see the tournament creating opportunities like this and connecting with young golfers from our region,” he said.
“Journey to the Open is about giving these players something to aim for, and today showed just how much it means to them.”
Final Results – Remarkables Course (18 holes)
- Toby Gallie (Futures Wakatipu) – 33 pts
- Yoonae Jeong (Millbrook) – 31 pts
- Cayden Ede (Cromwell) – 29 pts
- Archie Duncan (Wanaka) – 29 pts (missed on countback)
- Riley Gill (Cromwell) – 29 pts (missed on countback)
- Jackson Hughes (Cromwell) – 28 pts
- Johnny McBride (Millbrook) – 26 pts
- Trey Whitu (Roxburgh) – 25 pts
- Jacob Maisuria (Roxburgh) – 24 pts
Journey to the Open is a New Zealand Open Charitable Trust initiative designed to inspire and reward emerging golfers, with finalists competing for the chance to experience the tournament week environment and play in the official pro-am at the New Zealand Open.
